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| |  Friday, 24 May, 2002, 13:42 GMT 14:42 UK Ecclestone warns Ferrari Ecclestone (right): Unhappy with Schumacher's win Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone has warned Ferrari to avoid controversy at the Monaco Grand Prix. The team were heavily criticised for tactics used at the end of the Austrian Grand Prix, when Michael Schumacher was gifted victory by team-mate Rubens Barrichello. Following Ferrari orders, the Brazilian braked hard in the final few metres of the race, allowing Schumacher to cross the line ahead of him. Ecclestone said: "Ferrari would be ill advised to do such a thing in the future. "If they were to repeat it, that would not go down well with the fans - nor me. "So many people want to see someone beat Schumacher but in Austria they were cheated out of that.
"The only time I would condone it would be if the world championship hung on it. But Michael is 27 points clear. "It was the way they did it that upset me. They could have performed it more elegantly or disguised it. But the way they carried it out insulted people. "I am not surprised by the reaction." Meanwhile, Britain's David Coulthard is hoping to kick-start his season in Monaco, the course he associates with the beginning of his current poor form. Last year the Scot qualified on pole position only to stall and be sent to the back of the grid, eventually finishing a frustrating fifth. "It went downhill from this point on last season," said Coulthard, who in 2000 became the first British Monaco winner since Jackie Stewart in 1973. "In my dreams, of course that's what's been in my thoughts this week.
"I've still got very clearly in my mind the pole position from last year." Since Monaco, Coulthard has only once qualified on the front row of the grid, and has not qualified higher than fourth this season. McLaren have struggled this year and Coulthard has only 10 points after six races compared to Schumacher's 54. Coulthard said: "It is a different scenario not to be going believing you have a pole-capable car and one that you can genuinely race to a victory. "But it doesn't mean that you go there thinking you cannot win because you don't ever lower your sights. I won't allow myself to accept second best." | |
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